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Custom Changes
What is a custom change? Directive to Developers & World Build Staff Purpose: Defining Live-like behavior and Custom Changes for the purpose of how to determine if a change being implemented is custom or not. What Constitutes a Custom Change? The rationale used here is pretty simple. A custom change occurs when a staff member chooses to implement something, change something or choose not to implement something, with the specific intention of having the resulting effect of those actions (or inactions) create a unique and unlive-like behavior for the purpose of altering game play. The key concept here is Intent on altering game-play; whether or not the individual implementing the change intends for the feature behavior to differ from the way the live server would have handled the situation. Custom changes would include: *Adding in completely new special features not found on the live server during the patch version that uthgard uses (ex. uthgard uses auctioneers as a substitute for player merchants) *Intentionally Omitting the implementation of certain aspects of a game feature with the full knowledge that the action of doing that causes the game feature to not perform in a live-like manner manner (ex. not allowing acuity stat to affect animist bomber pet damage) *Intentionally Omitting the implementation of certain game features with the full knowledge that the action of doing that causes game play to not perform in a live-like manner manner (ex. Choosing to not implementing patch 1.77 styles while uthgard uses patch 1.80) *Intentionally implementating certain aspects of a game feature with full knowledge that the action of doing that causes the game feature to not perform in a live-like manner (ex. Implementing animist turrets to have a cap of 30 turrets within a 1500 range) *Intentionally altering certain aspects of a game feature with full knowledge that the action of doing that causes the game feature to not perform in a live-like manner. (ex. changing stat buff potion timers to 60 seconds) Custom changes would Not include: *Incompletely implementing features - Incompletely implemented features are Game Features and changes that are not fully functional due to not having all of their properties implemented and are thus, unlive-like and alter game play, but where the intent is that at some point, they will be made to be fully functional and live-like. :(Ex. Pets are implemented, but only partially since Pet pathing is not implemented, therefore they can pass through walls and other objects, which is an un-live like behavior, but the intent is that at some point pet pathing will be introduced and pets will behave in a live-like manner) :(Ex. The intent is for necromancers to be a playable class in game, but due to the fact that there are few underlying features to support their abilities, they are incomplete and unplayable.) *Insufficiently Researching Features - These are features and changes which are implemented using false or not enough data and where as a result, their behavior is not live-like and alter game play, but where The intent with these is that, when discovered, they will be researched further to determine what their correct behavior is and then they will be changed to reflect new data that is discovered. :(Ex. Armor factor buff stacking rules were insufficiently researched before being implemented, and as a result many players were able to stack certain buffs which created a non live-like situation. When data became available indicating that this was a non-live like situation on uthgard, the new data was used to correct the feature implementation.) *Bugged Features - These are features that alter game play unintended as a result of them working improperly in a non live-like fashion. The intent with these is that upon being discovered, they will be fixed to work properly in the manner that the live server would handle the situation. Note: There is a negative stygma surrounding the phrase "custom change" which might lead people to think that all changes are for the worse. This should not be interpreted as such. Uthgard is in and of itself foremost, a custom server, since it does not emulate the current version of the live mythic server and instead excludes all features and most items related to later expansions (trials of atlantis,catacombs, darkness rising, labyrinth of the minotaur) and post 1.80 patch content additions completely, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. What does Live-like mean? Suggestions for Determining Live-like states "Live" could be defined as the state of the game as that exists within a combination of parameters and limitations on features as set by the live (mythic version) server patch version used by uthgard, and by available references or sources for how features worked on the live (mythic version) server while that patch version was in effect. In order to determine whether a change in a feature or the addition of new features is live-like, it will have to be processed through these parameters and limitations which might include: 1. Patch Version ::This is the live (mythic version) server patch version that uthgard uses. Feature additions or changes must have precedence from the live (mythic version) server during the time period set forth by the patch version. The feature must have existed on live (mythic version) and the feature implementation must be done in a way that closely emulates the working behavior of that feature as it was during the live server patch time frame. ::(Ex 1. If uthgard uses mythic patch 1.80, then adding in patch 1.91 combat style changes would be a custom change) ::(Ex 2. If uthgard uses mythic patch 1.80, then the decision to not include patch 1.77 combat style changes would be a custom change. 2. Available References ::Features must be implemented based on data from available sources detailing the functionality of the feature which must also be consistent with the patch time line that intersects both when the feature existed on the mythic servers as well as the patch version that uthgard uses. Features should be considered to not be live like if the implementation of the feature or change is done in a manner that is clearly intentionally inconsistent with what the source data indicates proper behavior should be, with consideration given to the restrictions from live server patch time line limitations. ::(Ex 1. If the realm ability thornweed field is implemented to be affected by essence resistance then this is clearly live-like (since the mythic servers had this ability in patch 1.80) but only under an environment that supported toa and patch 1.80. Since uthgard doesn't support toa this feature must be removed, and therefore a custom change has been created since the live servers had this feature during this time frame). ::(Ex 2. If the realm ability Thornweed field is implemented to do 500 damage when the individual(s) implementing this have seen data where it is known that during the live (mythic server) 1.80 patch version time frame the ability actually did 250. This would then clearly be a custom change.) Changes or additions to the server must pass all of these checks. If changes or additions to the server conflict with these condition checks, then the change must be considered non live-like and therefore, custom. Category:Custom Changes